Well, loyal Books on Screen readers, we’ve made it through another awards season and are one more entertainment year wiser. We’ve learned that the Norbit Effect is not real, Lady Gaga can out-Julie Andrews even Julie Andrews, and Jared Leto’s superpower may not be his manbun after all. All said and done, this spring movie season is looking bright --- and not just because Daylight Savings is hitting, and hitting hard!

Another March, another Divergent franchise movie release, amirite? No complaints here; in this month's Insurgent, Tris and Co. are now on the run from Jeanine and her brainy Erudite henchmen, and the stakes are higher than ever as they search for answers in the ruins of a futuristic Chicago. If it’s anything like last year’s elegantly adapted Divergent, we can expect this second installment to satisfy OG fans and newcomers alike. And considering that princesses are all the rage in this post-Frozen world, it’s no surprise that Disney is upping the ante with a live-action reboot of the 1950 animated classic, Cinderella. Our 2015 Cinderella looks like a fairy tale-lover’s treacly, Technicolor dream, complete with a lovely heroine, a handsome prince, and a chartreuse-clad Cate Blanchett --- I personally cannot wait to see it.

Speaking of lessons, here’s some fresh Hollywood math: Jennifer Lawrence + Bradley Cooper + a screenplay adapted from a well-liked book ≠ a successful movie. Susanne Bier’s adaptation of SERENA, Ron Rash’s 2008 novel about one ruthless couple’s rise and fall in the Depression-era timber business, had everything going for it: an award-winning director; megawatt stars at the height of their careers; the narrative bones of a bestselling novel. That’s why its failure is a particular mystery --- and one that may not be intriguing enough to get moviegoers to lumber through the film at that.

There’s still plenty to watch on TV this month while we wait for the return of “Games of Thrones” and “Outlander” in April. In addition to ongoing favorites, such as “Arrow” and “The Vampire Diaries,” we’ll get “The Dovekeepers,” a CBS miniseries based on the Alice Hoffman book of the same name. And on Palm Sunday, National Geographic will be premiering "Killing Jesus," a TV movie based on Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s #1 bestselling nonfiction book. March also marks the time when the DVD embargo is lifted on Oscar contenders, so those of you who missed the award show-favorites in theaters will now have the chance to watch them at home. See, second chances are real for you and for me, not just for actors in Angelina Jolie movies.

We have a great haul this month! So do as the government tells you and spring forward…to see some Books on Screen!

--- Written and compiled by Emily Hoenig

In Theaters: 

Cinderella
Cast: Lily James, Hayley Atwell, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Madden
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: March 13th
Based on: “Cinderella” by Charles Perrault

A live-action retelling of the classic fairy tale about a servant stepdaughter who wins the heart of a prince. After her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, who reduce her to scullery maid. Despite her circumstances, she refuses to despair. An invitation to a palace ball gives Ella hope that she might reunite with the dashing stranger she met in the woods, but her stepmother prevents her from going. Help arrives in the form of a kindly beggar woman who has a magic touch for ordinary things.

The Gunman
Cast: Sean Penn, Idris Elba, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone
Director: Pierre Morel
Distributor: Open Road Films (US)
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 20th
Based On: THE PRONE GUNMAN by Jean-Patrick Manchette

A former Special Forces soldier and military contractor suffering from PTSD tries to reconnect with his long time love, but first must go on the run from London to Barcelona and across Europe in order to clear his name.

Insurgent
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller
Director: Robert Schwentke
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 20th
Based On: INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

Now on the run from Jeanine and the rest of the power-hungry Erudites, Tris and Four search for allies and answers in the ruins of Chicago. They must find out what Tris' family sacrificed their lives to protect and why the Erudites will do anything to stop them. Side by side, Tris and Four face one seemingly insurmountable challenge after another, as they unravel the secrets of the past and --- ultimately --- the future of their world.

Home
Cast: [voices of] Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Jones
Director: Tim Johnson
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: March 27th
Based On: THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY by Adam Rex

When Oh, a loveable misfit from another planet, lands on Earth and finds himself on the run from his own people, he forms an unlikely friendship with an adventurous girl named Tip who is on a quest of her own. Through a series of comic adventures with Tip, Oh comes to understand that being different and making mistakes is all part of being human. And while he changes her planet and she changes his world, they discover the true meaning of the word “home.”

Serena
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Sam Reid, Rhys Ifans, Toby Jones
Director: Susanne Bier
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 27th, On Demand and on iTunes February 26th
Based On: SERENA by Ron Rash

The North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s: George and Serena Pemberton, love-struck newly-weds, begin to build a timber empire. Serena soon proves herself to be equal to any man: overseeing loggers, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving a man's life in the wilderness. With power and influence now in their hands, the Pembertons refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their inflated love and ambitions. However, once Serena discovers George's hidden past and faces an unchangeable fate of her own, the Pemberton's passionate marriage begins to unravel leading toward a dramatic reckoning. 

On TV:

Killing Jesus
Cast: Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tamsin Egerton, John Rhys-Davies, Rufus Sewell, Eoin Macken, Stephen Moyer, Kelsey Grammer
Network: National Geographic
Air Dates: Premieres Sunday, March 29th  at 8pm ET (TV movie)
Based On: KILLING JESUS: A History by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Killing Jesus follows the events leading up to the death of one of the most influential figures in history. Jesus of Nazareth’s life and ministry were subject to seismic social and political events that led to his execution and changed the world forever.

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Network: HBO
Air Dates: Premieres Sunday, March 29th at 8pm ET (TV movie)
Based On: GOING CLEAR: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright

Following the HBO documentary Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, his investigation into sex abuse in the Catholic Church, Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney turns his gaze to Scientology in Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, detailing their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion. This powerful new film highlights the Church’s origins, from its roots in the mind of founder L. Ron Hubbard to its rise in popularity in Hollywood and beyond. The heart of the film is a series of shocking revelations by former insiders, including high-ranking and recognizable members such as acclaimed screenwriter Paul Haggis (Crash), as they describe the systematic history of abuse and betrayal by Church officials, including the current leadership of the Church.

Ken Burns Presents: Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies
Network: PBS
Air Dates: March 30th – April 1st at 9pm ET
Based On: THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies is a three-part, six-hour major television event presented by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, in partnership with WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in Washington, D.C. Based on the 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning book THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee, the series is the most comprehensive documentary on a single disease ever made. This “biography” of cancer covers its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the 20th century to cure, control and conquer it, to a radical new understanding of its essence. The series also features the current status of cancer knowledge and treatment --- the dawn of an era in which cancer may become a chronic or curable illness rather than its historic death sentence in some forms.

“The Dovekeepers”
Cast: Rachel Brosnahan, Cote de Pablo, Diego Boneta, Sam Neill
Network: CBS
Air Dates: March 31st – April 1st at 9pm ET (miniseries)
Based On: THE DOVEKEEPERS by Alice Hoffman

Set in ancient Israel, “The Dovekeepers” is based on the true events at Masada in 70 C.E. After being forced out of their home in Jerusalem by the Romans, 900 Jews were ensconced in a fortress at Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. Besieged at Masada, the Jews held out for months against the vast Roman armies. The project will recount the events from the perspective of a few extraordinary women who arrive at Masada with unique backstories, but a common bond for survival. Additionally, these women, who work together daily as dovekeepers, are all concealing substantial secrets.

"Younger"
Cast: Sutton Foster, Miriam Shor, Debi Mazar, Hilary Duff, Nico Tortorella
Network: TV Land
Air Dates: Premieres March 31st; Tuesdays at 10pm ET
Based On: YOUNGER by Pamela Redmond Satran

“Younger” follows 40-year-old Liza, a suddenly single mother who tries to get back into the working world, only to find it’s nearly impossible to start at the bottom at her age. When a chance encounter with the sexy Josh, a young tattoo artist, convinces her she looks younger than she is, Liza tries to pass herself off as 26 --- with the help of a makeover, courtesy of her best friend Maggie. Armed with new confidence, she lands a job as an assistant to the temperamental Diana and teams up with her new co-worker and 20something Kelsey to make it in the career of her dreams. Now she just has to make sure no one discovers her secret. 

“The Slap”
Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Uma Thurman, Zachary Quinto, Brian Cox, Makenzie Leigh
Network: NBC
Air Dates: Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: THE SLAP by Christos Tsiolkas

Meet Hector, a public servant, husband, father and valued friend on the cusp of his 40th birthday. Meet Aisha, Hector's beautiful and intelligent wife who is planning his party filled with friends and his very boisterous Greek family. Sounds like the makings of a great day, right? Wrong. 

As Hector tries to navigate family politics, awkward friendships and the young woman he is dangerously captivated by, the built-up tension explodes when Hector's hotheaded cousin slaps another couple's misbehaving child. Everyone is understandably stunned, and the party abruptly ends with the child's parents vowing legal action. What the hosts and guests don't know, however, is that this moment will ignite a chain of events that will uncover long-buried secrets within this group of friends and family... and vigorously challenge the core values of everyone involved. 

“Eye Candy”
Cast: Victoria Justice, Harvey Guillen, Casey Jon Deidrick, John Garet Stoker
Network: MTV
Air Dates: Mondays at 10pm ET
Based On: EYE CANDY by R.L. Stine

Lindy is a 21-year-old hacker with a gift for seeing clues and connections in the digital world that others can't. Persuaded by her roommate to try online dating, Lindy begins to suspect that one of her suitors is a deadly cyber stalker. When the local cyber-crimes unit uncovers a potential serial killer in Manhattan, all signs point to this mysterious stalker. Teaming up with the cyber unit and some hacker friends, Lindy leads the charge to solve these murders while unleashing her own style of "justice" on the streets of New York City.

“Backstrom”
Cast: Rainn Wilson, Peter Niedermayer, Nicole Gravely, John Almond, Frank Moto, Nadia Paquet, Beatrice Rosen, Genevieve Angelson
Network: Fox
Air Date:Thursdays at 9pm ET
Based On: Series by G.W. Leif

BACKSTROM centers on an offensive, irascible detective, as he tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior.
 

“The Flash”
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates:Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Flash: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino

“The Flash” follows the adventures of scientist Barry Allen, who is a superhero with incredible speed.

“Arrow”
Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates:Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow --- a vigilante --- to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society and restore Starling City to its former glory.

“The Vampire Diaries”
Cast: Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Candice Accola
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith

Months after this devastating tragedy, everyone is dealing with the loss of their loved ones in different ways, some more destructively than others. What happened to Bonnie and Damon, and if they can even be saved, remains a mystery. Meanwhile, their beloved hometown of Mystic Falls continues to be a magic-free zone, protected by a mysterious new community watch program. If there’s any hope of salvaging their former lives, our heroes must find a way to push through their grief and band together. This season will explore themes of loss, denial and what it means to move on in the face of immortality, ultimately begging the age-old question --- can you ever really go home again?

On DVD:

Foxcatcher
Cast: Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Steve Carell
Director: Bennett Miller
Distributor: Sony Classics
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: March 3rd
Based on: FOXCATCHER by Mark Schultz and David Thomas

Foxcatcher tells the story of Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz, who sees a way out from the shadow of his more celebrated wrestling brother Dave and a life of poverty when he is summoned by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont to move onto his estate and train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Desperate to gain the respect of his disapproving mother, du Pont begins "coaching" a world-class athletic team and, in the process, lures Mark into dangerous habits, breaks his confidence and drives him into a self-destructive spiral. Based on actual events, FOXCATCHER is a gripping and profoundly American story of fragile men who pinned their hopes for love and redemption on a desperate obsession for greatness that was to end in tragedy.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Sam Claflin, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland
Director: Francis Lawrence
Distributor: Lionsgate Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: March 6th
Based On: MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, which finds Katniss Everdeen in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta and a nation moved by her courage.

Annie
Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Rose Byrne
Director: Will Gluck
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG

DVD Release Date: March 17th
Based On: The Little Orphan Annie comic series by Harold Gray

In modern-day New York City, Annie is an orphan/foster child living under the cruelty of Miss Hannigan. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they'd be back for her someday, it's been a hard knock life ever since. But everything's about to change when hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks --- advised by his VP, Grace, and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy --- makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he's her guardian angel, but Annie's self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it's the other way around.

Unbroken
Cast: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garret Hedlund
Director: Angelina Jolie
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: March 24th
Based On: UNBROKEN: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

World War II hero Louis "Louie" Zamperini, a former Olympic track star, survives a plane crash in the Pacific, spends 47 days drifting on a raft, and then more than two and a half years living in several Japanese prisoner of warcamps.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom
Director: Peter Jackson
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: March 24th
Based on: THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien

Having reclaimed Erebor and a vast treasure from the dragon Smaug, Thorin Oakenshield sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the Arkenstone, despite Smaug's fiery wrath and Bilbo's desperate attempts to make him see reason. Meanwhile, Sauron sends forth legions of Orcs in a sneak attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As the ultimate fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance, the races of Men, Elves and Dwarves must decide whether to unite or die.

The Imitation Game
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode
Director: Morten Tyldum
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: March 31st
Based on: ALAN TURING: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges

In The Imitation Game, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, the genius British mathematician, logician, cryptologist and computer scientist who led the charge to crack the German Enigma Code that helped the Allies win WWII. Turing went on to assist with the development of computers at the University of Manchester after the war, but was prosecuted by the UK government in 1952 for homosexual acts, which the country deemed illegal.

Wild
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern
Director: Jean-Marc Valee
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: March 31st
Based on: WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed decides to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone, as a way to heal herself, following her divorce, the death of her mother, and years of reckless, destructive behavior.